Loose Ends
by LostLyra
Summary: Emmet is struggling with the reality of what he saw when he fell through the abyss, and finds one way to cope. But takes his friends to realise that he's no longer just a cloned set piece. But one of a kind. Pairings: Emcy, (Emmet/Lucy) Rated T for suicidal thoughts


Okay a little darker than I originally thought, but I've been trying to work out what really went through little Emmet's head when he was sucked into our world, and what effect that would have later on in his life.

Set a year after the movie.

Spoilers! Kinda!

* * *

The wind whipped around the glass as the man stood, teetering on the edge of the precipice. He looked down into the swirling mass of darkened colours which held the unspoken terrors of a life gone by. He was torn by this decision, throwing himself into this swirling abyss of hell once again, trying to stop the thoughts that they were just pawns in a giant's play-thing.

Was he even _real_?

How did the Master Builders cope with this knowledge? How did they keep everybody in an unknowing fathom of happiness as the real knowledge of their situation hung over their heads every day. They were just child's play-things, trapped in an unmovable, unpreventable apocalypse when the time came. They were not the Master Builders, they were _under _the _helm_ of the one and only Master Builder.

He wasn't even a Master Builder anyway. He shut his eyes, willing the numbers, and the constant flickering of codes to be banished from his sight. He had no idea how they did this, how they stopped themselves from having a major migraine each time they spotted a piece of six, or a flat of two. Shaking his head he swallowed, willing himself to take one more step towards the edge. Wind blew around him, ruffling his hair, and scratching across his yellow plastic skin. Emmet was now balanced precariously, feet half on and half off the buildings towering ledge.

"I'm sorry everyone," he murmured, his voice heavy with the taste of guilt. "I'm so sorry," he swallowed, willing himself to look down into the swirling abyss that had already thrown him through into the unimaginable truth. "I'm so sorry Lucy," he bit his lip, willing the tears that were puckering up behind his eyelids to dry away. "Look after everyone Batman," he took another step, now all that was stopping him from plummeting to his death was his little clawed hand that was clutching the rail. "Once again I'm so, so, _so_ sorry Lucy," taking one last desperate breath he launched himself into the swallowing death.

And he was falling.

Suddenly something shot out of the blackness, and the terror, and he was slammed back into the cavernous office room, pain shooting through is back as he skidded across the floor, slamming into one of the old pillars that had held Mr. Business' infamous items. Stars split across his vision, and he felt a snap of pain across his face as it was twisted round, jerking backwards and forwards into a hundred degree angle.

"_WHAT THE MAN UPSTAIRS DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING_?" the dark gruff voice of Batman boomed ferociously, causing his head to reverberate with pain. He gasped as he was slammed up against the pillar again, wincing as pain split across his back.

"Just," he groaned, the tears from the frustration finally dripping down his face. "Just please let me _go_," Emmet watched through bleary tear ridden eyes as the hero's face turned into something of a worried frown. "I can't control it," Emmet moaned bitterly. "I just _can't_,"

He gasped as the dark knight helped him rest gently against the pillar, sitting back on his haunches and surveying his face with a wary frown. "What's the problem?" the masked hero asked in that deep uncaring gruffness.

"The numbers," Emmet replied, scrubbing his eyes with his clawed hands. "I just can't stop seeing them. Vitruvius never taught me how to properly stop them. They're everywhere, I don't know how you do it,"

Batman's face fell into a deeper frown, his eyes pinching at the corners. "Have you told Wyld Girl this?"

Emmet shook his head. "No I don't want to worry her," he paused, glancing back at the possible decent of the swirling vortex out of their world. "I want to go," he looked back at Batman. "Please dude, let me!"

"No!" he felt another sharp flash of pain across his face, not enough to spin his head all the way around, but enough to try and make him see clearly. "You listen to me," Batman's voice was dark and low. "Don't you think we all have to cope with that? Every _day_?" he snorted. "You think you're special? You wouldn't give up if you _were_ special!" the words hit hard and they hit home.

The construction workers voice rose in anger. "You didn't see what I saw!" he cried, his voice now beyond breaking point, and his mind inconsolable about the truth. "I saw the real world, the world _beyond_ ours. I couldn't move! I could only think, it's was horrible, I had to push myself above the limits! There are no,"

"ENOUGH!" Batman roared, cutting off Emmet's constant desperate ramblings. Ignoring the boy's (for that was still all the figurine was too the dark cloaked hero), protests he hauled the _Master Builder_ up to his feet, dragging him along and out of the room, ignoring his desperate pleading cries.

His plan would not fail.

* * *

Lucy sighed, she was tired, very over-tired. The council meeting had gone on long enough, and the sun had already started to set, it's amber glow spreading across the mishmash of buildings that now created Brickburge. Someone was rambling on about something. Gandalf and Benny had been arguing about which would be better to traverse portals by, dragons or spaceships, and it seemed at present, that the spaceships were winning (if it wasn't for Benny's overpowering excitement and excitement for the vehicles, she had a feeling that the old wizard would have definitely been in the winnings). Rubbing the tiredness from her eyes she took a sip of the now, luke-warm coffee sitting in her hand.

"Are you alright Wyldstyle?" it was the soft concerned voice of Superman to her left that brought her back into the world of the living, and she smiled tightly.

"Yeah, I will be,"

"Where on earth is Emmet?" he questioned. "Surely he'd be here by now,"

"You know what he's like," she smiled fondly, and it wasn't missed by the cape-adorned hero. Many had thought that the young construction worker had indeed changed their beloved Master Builder for the better. "He can't stand these meetings, he's much rather-"

"Let go of me you bricklayer!" there was a curse and a very familiar yell. Every Master Builder in the council room turned in surprise to see Batman tussling with a the furious Special. "Back _off_!" there was an infuriated yell, and the clinking together of bricks, before Batman was thrown across the large room, skidding slightly before hitting the edge of the built in chairs with a loud _thunk_. The Master Builders winced, almost in tandem as the hero pulled himself, throwing a weapon haphazardly together and charging at the other person in the duel. Lucy turned, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw Batman lunge towards Emmet with all of his force, sending the Special careening across the room.

"Stop!" the yell wasn't from Lucy but from UniKitty, who'd leapt off her chair and rounded on Batman, forcing him away from the orange construction worker. "Stop this now!" The masked hero backed down, and Lucy watched as Emmet started backing away, holding his makeshift weapon in front of him. It didn't look the best, but at least he was getting it.

"What's all 'his abo't?" Metalbeard questioned, also rising from his seat. "Yer alrigh' Emmet my boy?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," he sounded exhausted and out of breath, realising where he was he dropped his weapon. "Was there a council meeting today?" he asked, timidly, and Lucy inwardly winced, hating it that he looked so guilty and embarrassed.

"Yes," came the reply from Lincoln, who had now been voted to replace Vitruvius. "Very Master Builder was notified personally. "I presume you were told,"

"Actually," Emmet rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, and shuffled on the spot. "I don't think I was,"

"Dammit!" Lincoln smacked a closed fist on the armrest of his chair in frustration. "Green Lantern you were supposed to notify _everyone_!"

"Sorry," came a muffled voice from the back of the room, and a yelp as he was hit in the head by a fellow super.

"Yeah," Batman in-putted, checking his clawed hand nonchalantly. "He probably realised that he was supposed to be here, _after _he threw himself into the abyss," there were gasps and muttered murmurings among the elder members of the Master Builders, wondering why the chosen Special would do that to himself.

Lucy couldn't help but join in their worried murmurs, she pressed a hand to her mouth in shock, and her eyes met with her beloveds. She watched as he started to crack, from the inside out, and his face twisted into some horrible amalgamation of embarrassed shock. Without one more word Emmet turned on his heel and fled, muttering mumbled apologies as he tripped over his feet and ran.

Before Lucy even realised what she was doing she was up out of her seat, pulling herself up and running after the distraught worker. Gesturing for the her close set of friends to follow her she tore after her partner, wondering and panicking what else he'd do to himself in his fragile state.

* * *

As soon as he bolted Emmet tried to find a place to hide, preferably a place to curl up and die, from depression or embarrassment at this point he didn't know which. He could hear the light fleeting footsteps of Batman behind him, and the pounding gargantuan feet of Metalbeard as the pair chased him down. At least he knew where to hide. He'd been one of the builders of buildings such as these for years, for so long now that all of his memories were now a mixed blur. Turning a corner he threw himself into a smaller conference room, slamming the door shut behind him and letting his thoughts slow down. He gasped for air as he sank into the door, pressing his hands against his face and letting out a small shuddering breath.

"Emmet you'd better open up this _damn_ door!" the construction worker felt the force of the masked hero's fist as it connected with the metal door. Ignoring the furious Master Builder he curled up into a ball, pressing his face into his knees and trying to prevent the sobs from escaping his mouth. He gripped his hair with his hands and tugged, willing the mental pain away with something physical.

"Emmet laddy, we're worried about yer!" Metalbeard's voice boomed through the door, he ignored him.

"Yeah Emmet!" came the jovial voice of Benny. "We're you're friends, no matter what Batman says!" (there was a resounding sigh from the masked hero). "You gotta tell us what's up!"

"Like you're my friends," the Special grunted, his statement was met with silence. "Like your my friends!" his voice rose in anger. "You mocked me openly. It was only after I saved your lives that started to take me seriously!"

"Friendship is often brought through suffering," Unikitty stated wisely from behind the door. "Come on Emmet, we're all worried about you. Why in the Man Upstairs did you try to through yourself into the _abyss_?"

"I thought you were our friend," Benny's voice whimpered, his demeanor obviously dampened from the construction worker's harsh truth.

Curling up closer Emmet pressed his face into his knees and let out a shuddering sigh, biting his lip hard, and preventing him from staying anything else.

"You weren't tryin' ta kill yourself were yer laddy?" Metalbeard's question hung in the air like a bad smell, and the smaller piece whimpered with embarrassment, shutting his eyes and willing himself into darkness.

"Answer us Emmet!" there was the thump of a clawed hand against wood, as Batman's darkened voice demanded the truth.

Emmet stayed silent.

Suddenly out of the voices of anger and concern came the voice of reason.

"Let me through," it was the voice of his girlfriend of a year – Lucy – and he felt slightly lighter, at least she still cared about him. He heard her footsteps, and felt the door shift as she sat down on the other side of the metal. "Emmet," her voice was tender and soft, no doubt surprising the others, as they'd never heard her speak this way to anyone before, even within her relationship with Batman she'd never spoken so tenderly. "Emmet you can talk when you're ready,"

There was a pause, and a he knew that his friends were waiting with bated breath from behind the closed door.

He swallowed, and tried to speak, but what came out was a pathetic whimper.

"I," he stuttered, swallowing heavily. "I can't," his whole body shuddered, and he pressed his back against the door, in a futile attempt to stop himself shaking. "I can't control the numbers," he bit his lip, looking up, and looking out, through the ray of disused office chairs and into the swirling clouds that always seemed to swarm around the Presidents old tower. "I need a break, it's making me ill," he nibbled his bottom lip, wondering if he should open the door and just break down into his girlfriend's arms.

He shook his head clear of the thought. He was the Special, he couldn't look weak in front of anybody.

Especially not age-old Master Builders.

"Emmet," the soft voice of Lucy reverberated through the door. "Emmet can I open the door?" the ex-construction worker shimmied away from the door, and winced as he felt light assault his eyes. He didn't move as he felt himself eased into a pair of strong feminine arms, he pressed his face into her chest and let out a small pathetic anguished whimper.

"Why can't I stop it?" he murmured. "It just hurts my head, I want it to end real quick,"

"Oh baby," he felt her brush her lips over his scruffy hair, as she rocked him back and forth. The construction worker hadn't told anybody about his experience into the other dimension and it was eating him up inside. He shivered with the memories of what he saw and shut his eyes, willing the pictures in his head away. "Emmet?" her voice probed gently, "Emmet what's wrong?"

"I've got to go," his mind and body had decided, pushing away from her and up off the floor, his eyes flicking around for an escape exit. He wanted to leave, but all he could see were numbers, flickering in front of his eyes. A six there, a two flat over by his right. Crying out he clutched his head. "Make it stop!" he cried, pressing his hands against his eyes in a futile attempt to rid himself of the numbers that scattered across his vision.

"Emmet Bricksworth!" the authoritative voice of his girlfriend brought him out from his chaotic thoughts, and a painful slap against his face brought him out of his anguish.

"_Ow_!" he whined, rubbing his cheek in earnest. Looking up he saw his group of friends huddled by the doorway, each with equally concerned looks plastered on their faces.

"You don't have to tell us what happened when you fell through the abyss, you can take your time," surprisingly it was the voice of Batman that broke the heavy silence. "Some people need secrets, and as for the numbers, we can all help you with that,"

"Yeah!" Benny spoke up from where he was casually floating behind the cloaked figure's shoulder. "But shouldn't we really give him closure first?"

"About what?" Emmet glanced at his girlfriend in confusion, as his girlfriend turned round to glower at the hovering spaceman. Batman sighed in annoyance, and Unikitty rolled her eyes at Benny's tactlessness.

"Ey," Metalbeard prompted. "We should give him closure, maybe it'll make his journey into becom' a better Master Builder easier, and he is the Special, so he should-"

"I don't want to be called that any more," Emmet interrupted forcefully, coming to stand next to Lucy, who took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sick of being called the Special," he swallowed. "I don't want to be reminded of what happened, and what could have happened," he paused. "What do you mean about closure?"

Tugging on his hand lightly Lucy turned to him a grim smile on her face. "I think you should see for yourself."

* * *

It was dark by the time they arrived. Benny's spaceship had been quick, but not quick enough to beat the darkening sun. The moon hung high in the sky, and stars glittered like pearls from where they sat, nestled together in a blanket of navy. The hovering ceased as Benny touched down the ship, jerking Emmet out of his light dose. Shaking the tiredness from his mind he followed Lucy and the rest of the crew out into the darkened forest.

"Where?" he questioned, his voice just above a whisper, it was so quiet that he didn't want to break the silence of the night. Lucy shook her head, and took his hand again, squeezing it gently she tugged him towards a moonlight clearing. As they entered his friends hung back, allowing him to move around the grassy plain as he liked. He glanced over to his partner to question what to do and her eyes flicked over to a small pillar resting in the centre of the clearing. Slowly he walked towards it, realising that this place was a place of great presence.

Upon reaching the pillar he saw the book. It was a blank book, and an old book. The corners were tattered and dog eared, and the writing upon the cover was faded. Resting his hand gently on the worn cover he bit his lip, what did his friends want him to do?

"You're supposed to open the brick-damn book Emmet!" Batman snapped, obviously losing his patients with the younger Master Builder.

"Shut up Batman!" there was a _thunk_ of metal on plastic as the super-hero was pushed to the side by Metalbeard.

"Go on Emmet open it!" Benny urged. "It's a-"

"It's a book that had recorded every name, and every position of ever Master Builder throughout the ages," a recognisable voice echoed, as a dark, but pale face materialised out of the air. Yelping in shock Emmet scrambled backwards from the book, as he saw the eldest Master Builder of them all appear before his eyes.

"Vitruvius?!" He cried, his voice matching the shocked gasps of the others.

"Yes Emmet," there was a chuckle, "It is I, I thought you would want someone to talk too. I can't say I understand what you're going through, seeing the world through the abyss that I always knew was there, but you have to understand, you are not alone in this. You have you're friends, and if I'm not mistaken, pretty soon a wife and family," they ignored the nudges and the winks that Lucy received from the small rag-tag group behind them. "I want you to take a look at the book Emmet,"

"What why?"

"Because, even though I made up the prophecy, I was not cruel enough to make up the list of Master Builders,"

"What?"

"Just open the _book_ Emmet," the dead man ordered. Carefully Emmet opened the heavy book, flicking through the pages. Familiar names stood out, _Lucy_, _Metalbeard, Superman, Wonderwoman. _Each with their own information and locations. He flicked towards the end of the book, realising that the pages were blank. There was a familiar and frustrated sigh from Vitruvius as Emmet's head tried to figure out what this was all about. It was only a _book_. "In the middle Emmet, there's a reason that it's a never-ending book,"

As the construction worker's hand came to rest on the worn pages Emmet let out a small squeak of surprise. His name was scrawled elegantly across the page, with a head-shot and his past, including his current location.

"How?" he queried in shock, his hand still resting on his page, absentmindedly running across the elegant words that were written there.

"When you were born the Master Builders knew that you had great potential, but when your parents died you were lost in the rat-works of Brickburge, becoming one of the same and joining in with the fray. You were never part of a complete set. _That's _why you were so easily misplaced, as it were," he paused, drawing towards him. "Emmet you were and _always_ have been a Master Builder. You just didn't know it. Even if your two tiered sofa was one of the dimmest ideas ever thought up," Emmet coughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Only a Master Builder would be able to get other Masters to work together. One that was always in the background, but never fully realised his potential until that fateful day you bumped into Wyldstyle-"

"I do go by Lucy now," the woman interrupted the elder, walking towards the pair, and standing behind her boyfriend.

Vitruvius chuckled. "I wondered when you were going to let down those ridiculous walls you built yourself," he turned back to Emmet, who was standing expectantly, waiting for his next instruction. "Emmet, unlike before you will never again be alone, you do not have to fear it. The inevitable will become the inevitable, but for now rest your thoughts, and focus on becoming the Master Builder that you truly are," Lucy rested her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently in comfort. "Don't forget, but build on what you have learnt. The flow of numbers will stop in time, once you learn to control them, and the trained Masters will teach you, each in their own way to stop and think," he paused, the crows feet around his eyes puckering as he thought. "I think that's all I have to say. Great pep talk anyway. And," he floated right into Emmet's face, his eyes cloudy and his voice suddenly dark. "If you, Emmet Bricksworth, ever think of throwing yourself off that tower ever again, I give Batman permission to personally shove his baterangs up where the sun don't shine," Emmet swallowed, and nodded. "Got it?"

"Yes sir," he replied meekly, pulling his hand away from the book like he'd been burned.

"Good," Vitruvius pulled away and grinned at the other Master Builders. "I think it's time that you all returned to Bricksburge isn't it? And have a few in my name, a party's always good, some of the elders need to lighten up, I might join you if I get the chance!" and with a cackling laugh that only Vitruvius could produce he vanished. Emmet stood there for a second, feeling slightly abandoned as his one father figure that he ever thought he had disappeared again, right in front of his eyes. He turned to the rest of the Master Builders, who were walking towards him.

"You all right Emmet?" Unikitty asked softly, voicing everybody's question.

"Yeah," he rested his hand on top of Lucy's and forced a grin, which hopefully didn't look too fake. "I think we should get back to Bricksburge,"

"I agree!" Metalbeard replied, nodding furiously. "And knock back a few kegs for good old Vitruvius,"

"Awesome, I like the sound of that idea," Batman agreed, and started to head back to the ship, with Unikitty and Metalbeard in tow.

"Come on Benny!" Unikitty called over her shoulder. "You're the only one that can drive this thing!"

"Okay, okay!" the spaceman called back, "I'm coming," he paused and pulled Emmet into an unexpected hug. "Y'know Vitruvius is right you're not alone any more, and hey, I'm gonna stay your friend even if you're kinda sulky some of the time," Emmet awkwardly patted the spaceman on the back as he pulled away.

"Yeah thanks mate,"

"BENNY!" came contorted shout of the three Builders, as they stood near the ship. "Come on it's getting cold,"

"I'm coming!" the spaceman ran over to the ship to get it started up. Emmet turned, back to the pillar, and blinked in surprise to find the clearing empty.

"So you okay now?" Lucy touched his shoulder lightly, and Emmet pulled her against him, relishing in her soft hold.

"Yeah I will be, and Vitruvius is right, I'm no longer alone," he smiled and reached up, tucking a stray strand of her onyx hair behind her ear. He enjoyed it when she couldn't hide the blush, and liked this softer side of the rough-and-tumble builder. She'd make a great mum.

The thought was sudden, and was scary as it was pleasing, he grinned goofily.

"Come on, what are you smiling about now huh?" she shoved him gently, the soft side of her replaced by that boisterous side that she fell in love with.

Laughing at her discomfort through showing emotion Emmet quickly and briefly kissed her, pulling away in a second, beaming and breathless.

"What was that for?" she grinned abashedly, tucking that loose piece of hair behind her ear again, and looking so adorably cute.

Although if he told her that he'd probably be hung, drawn and quartered.

"Nothing," he smiled, and pushed her lightly. "C'mon last one to the ship is a bad builder,"

"Hey!" he couldn't help but laugh as he sprinted from the clearing and to the ship, jumping over fallen logs and branches as he felt her chase after him. They reached the ship in record time and scrambled to get into the cockpit. Falling over laughing at their silliness.

His heart may have still been heavy, (the death of Vitruvius still weighed heavily on his mind), but his thoughts were now clearer, and instead of looking back he was now looking forwards. He settled in one of the soft seats, and rested his head against the head-rest. Finally feeling somewhat complete. He couldn't help but allow happiness to bubble up inside his chest as Lucy leant on his arm, light in her eyes and joy in her voice as she bickered playfully with Batman, and he knew at least one thing.

He would never be a lost soul in a crowded world.

He'd never be alone again.

And that was fine with him.

* * *

Oh _lord_ that was incredibly corny! I'm so sorry about that ending, I really couldn't work out how to end it!

I love the chemistry between Lucy and Emmet, I do think it's wonderful, and they did work really well together within the movie. I do believe, even though I think that Lucy is a tad OOC she still would care for Emmet like this. Cause she would definitely be the stronger one in their relationship at times.

And wooh Ghost!Vitruvius, that part kinda escalated quickly in the movie and me and my best mate were kinda shocked about the outcome, but hay I hope you like this part!

Hope you enjoyed it and it wasn't too rough, I tried to write it realistically as I could!

Hope you all enjoyed it, and please feel free to leave a review in the review jar!

Thanks,

Ciao

LostLyra


End file.
